The Penn's Grove record., 1887-08-06

go up there and sit awhile, evenin's,
list dew"
"Thanks," Richie murmured, with
out daring to look at Rob, who seemed
to be on the verge of a CONFUSION.
"My dear fellow" Wynne said, that
morning, on the way down to the sta
ton, ''as the girls say, it's just too
funny for anything. Only keep me
posted how your filtration gets on.
Think of Malcolm Richie and this
little rustic" And he laughed a low,
musical laugh of derision.
Richie did not go up to the front
room for several evenings. When at
last he did, his knock interrupted one
of Chopin's nocturnes. Miss jimmie
was seated at the piano. She were a
brown calico dress with red flowers in
tia dress even more hideous than the
purple spotted one.
sab, come in" she said, looking
around, but not rising. "You are
always welcome, here, as Auntie says;
but when you come, you mustn't expect
me to talk; for / can never talk when l
play. AS she said this, she whiTled
around on the piano stool, and let her
hands drop softly Oh the keys, in a kind
of caress.
1t was Mendelssohn first. and then
Mozart, and List, and Beethoven. AS
Richie glanced from the sweet, rapt
face to the supple white fingers, gifted
with such All exquisite touch, he began
TO think that he had stumbled over a
social phenomenon.
"But, with all this" he wrote to
Bob Wynne, "she is wholly devoid of
taste IN personal adornment. Her
dresses are appalling; her shoes are an
anachronism. You ask me about the
fishing. There's plenty of trout still,
but / haven't been out much yet. ex-
cept with Miss Gray. Now don't make
more Of this fact than you've a right
to, which isn't much. She has a pas
sion for spring flowers, and grasses,
and that sort of thing, and l help her
to collect them. Farmer Goodrich has
a rlckety old buggy which he let's us
have now and then. The uncle and
aunt will do anything for jimmie"
"You seem to have quite forgotten
the original purposes OF your stay
there" Wynne wrote in reply. "Three
weeks have passed since | lett you. and
you are still driving Miss Gray about
the country, instead of catching trout,
and sending me a lot, as you promised.
Pm afraid your old weakness has over
GENE you, and that you are flirting
again. Don't break the poor girls
heart"
"You speak too late," IA the reply.
"Angllng Is now quite out OF the ques-
ton. 1 have assumed the sacred duties
Of companion to an interesting invalid.
To be explicit. Bob, the buggy had the
kindness to go to pieces, on the road,
and it was my privilege to rescue Miss
Gray from the wreck. She hurt her
foot-quite a small foot, too, Bob, In
spite of the shoe, and-well, 1t was
very interesting. TIE doctor says she
may lie confined to the lounge for a
fortnight. Picture me, at present, as
her devoted attendant. l read and talk
to her by the hour. She does firt,
Bob. How the little rustic learned, l
don't know; / suppose 1t comes by ma
ture, as you said. Indeed, l think she
understands it better than any girl l
eve saw, for l can't, for the life of
me, presume upon a single privilege.
l have said to her some of the softest
things l ever uttered; but, upon my
soul, I'd no more think of taking her
hand than I'd think of lylng."
The days and weeks slipped by, and
Malcolm was still installed at Farmer
Goodrlch's. In the end, Wynne began
to be seriously concerned for him, and
wrote to inquire ''what he was doing
with himself"
1t was one bright and ~unseasonably
warm afternoon, that Malcolm came
in In a gleeful mood.I
live raked up a buggy, Miss Gray"
he said, "a buggy that won't break
down, and, If you like, we can take a
drive along the river"
IA last drive" jimmie said, smiling,
as She toyed with a letter which she
held in her hand.
81 hope not the very last" said Mall
colin, lightly.
1.-THE very last. I'm afraid, she an
swered with a peculiar sweetness. "I
have a summons to Baltimore"
Malcolm looked very much disap-
pointed.
"You have friends in Baltimore?"
he said suggestiyely.
"Oh, yesl / went to school there,
you know"
81 am very sorry you are going" he
said, awkwardly - more ~awkwardly
than he ever said anything In his life.
I'VE have had such a pleasant time, at
least. l have enjoyed it."
And /, too" she answered softly.
"But the fishing is pretty well owe
now."
ut wasn't the fishing that kept me
here, $50 long, he ventured quite boldly;
and jimmie blushed like a rose.
81 can understand that" she has
tened to say; II never knew a more
delightful place to Idle in"
"The buggy is here. Miss Gray" he
said, walking to the window, and then
back again. "Allow me to take you
down. ..
When he had her beside him. alone
on the river road, he turned to her and
said:
"You ara one of the most battling
persons I ever met, Miss Gray"
She laughed; and there was a sudden
fash in her clear. hazel eye.
"You have fllrted with me uncon-
scionably, he continued.
"As to that" she answered coolly,
II think, Mr.. Richie, that l did no
more than you desired"
Any other woman would have blushed
and denied 1t. Her manner of receiv-
ing the accusation gave a new turn to
his thoughts.
yet you stand wholly uncom-
mitted," he said, discontentedly.
THAT is as it should be. Otherwise
| should not have taken up such a dan
gerous amusement. We have tlIrted,
Of course. What else could we do,
under the circumstances"
"Nothing half 81 interesting; but
excuse me, if | presume too much
where did you learn to manage a situa-
ton so Rdroitly?"
you forget that l was educated in
Baltimore
but schoolgirls have no opportunity
of acquiring such 6nesse."
"Some women are born with it, Mr..
ID.kNs-